A typical hull identification number (HIN) consists of 12 letters and numbers, as in ABC12345D404.

Here's what the letters and numbers mean:

ABC: This is the U.S. Coast Guard-assigned manufacturer identification code (MIC). Go to the USCG Manufacturers Indentification page to access the Coast Guard's MIC database.

12345: This is the serial number assigned to the hull by the manufacturer. This may be a combination of letters and numbers. The letters "I," "O," and "Q" are excluded because they could be mistaken for numbers.

D: This is the month of certification, indicating the month in which construction began. "A" represents January and "L" represents December. In our example, "D" means April.

4: This is the year of certification. The number is the last digit of the year in which the boat was built. "4" in this case designates 2004.

OK - so now I really wonder about how to interpret the 592? If the “92” represents the model year, how do you interpret the “5”? I know for a fact that my boat was delivered to the original owner in July 1992. As for the “026”, it would still appear that the manufacturer could assign any feature to these numbers that he wanted to.

I have a letter verifying that an R21 was delivered in March of 1991. So, if that boat was molded in February of 1991, it would mean that 30 boats were moulded in the intervening 15 months, or an average of two per month. That further implies that as many as 20 - 22 R21s could have been moulded in 1991.

To put another question to bed, the R21-EC was introduced early in 2006.

The cable steering controls both the helm in the cabin, but also controls the one in the rear. When one helm moves, the other follows. It makes it nice controlling the steerage of the boat while setting on the rear cushion. Just wish it had a way to control the engine. I still have to go into the cabin to control the engine.

Can anyone tell me what anchor was used on the Classic 21's. Mine is a 1995, named the Evergreen. I'll post hull # when I get back to the boat. I understand it was a claw anchor, but was wondering the weight. Thanks!

Wildog69 wrote:Can anyone tell me what anchor was used on the Classic 21's. Mine is a 1995, named the Evergreen. I'll post hull # when I get back to the boat. I understand it was a claw anchor, but was wondering the weight. Thanks!

i would also be interested, as the first owner of Chester made custom teak chocks for a Danforth anchor - which I still have - whereas the stainless bow anchor pulpit is empty. I’m guessing that the original anchor is still firmly hooked under a rock somewhere in Lake Michigan - or it was simply not passed along to the second owner twenty years ago!

My R21 Classic is a 1995, Name: Evergreen Hull Serial Number RFB02721C595. It has a factory installed rear steering wheel on the starboard side, just ahead of the rear seat. It has the 3 cylinder 27 HP Yanmar diesel motor, 3GM30F. It has the mast and boom, and supports a full canopy.

I think that we’ve established a pattern. We now have “Chester” (RFB02630E592), “Lil’ Toot” (RFB02637G592), and “Evergreen” (RFB02721C595). As such, it would appear that the first five numbers are nothing more than a sequential numbering of the hulls produced. In other words, 92 R21’s were produced from May 1992 to March 1995, inclusive of the first and last in the sequence. The only remaining unknown tidbit would be the significance of the number “5” preceding the year. I’m guessing now that it might be a mould or model number for just the hull - as different liner configurations appear to be evident within boats of this era. The only other possibility, with respect to the first five numbers, is that this sequence of numbers could nave been used across the entire line of boats that RFB was producing. 02630 may have been an R21 - but 02631 might have been an entirely different model produced by RFB, provided that they were, indeed, producing more than one model during this era. Does anyone know?